I wore red lipstick with no other makeup for a week — and it did nothing for my confidence

On one occasion, I tested my limits by going to the beach wearing red lipstick. Brianna Arps/INSIDER

The INSIDER Summary:

Some studies suggest that women who wear red can feel more confident, and that men are more attracted to women dressed in the color.

I tested these claims by wearing red lipstick — without any other makeup — for a week.

However, I found that wearing red lipstick did not make me feel any more confident.

No one, not even my boyfriend, noticed. And I didn't feel powerful, although ironically I wore a vibrant red shade with the name, "Bawse Lady."

Instead, I relearned that validation especially from men doesn't matter and true confidence comes from within.

Some people believe that there are psychological benefits to wearing red lipstick. It's thought to make women who wear it feel more confident, while one study found that men are more physically attracted to women in red.

Rather than going all-out with my beauty routine like I normally do, I thought not having any other makeup on besides the lipstick would help me discover if wearing red can really make you feel as powerful as some experts claim.

The color I wore is named "Bawse Lady" and sold by The Lip Bar. Brianna Arps/INSIDER

At first, I was excited to try the almost "no-makeup" challenge. Spending less time getting ready each morning seemed like an amazing perk. Yet, as soon as day one rolled around, I buckled under pressure.

I literally had to force myself to see past features I thought were flaws, which made me really uneasy. The thought of putting my hormonal breakouts, acne scars, and messy eyebrows on display was horrifying.

And although lipstick will always be my favorite product, applying it without foundation or at least mascara just didn't look right on me. My lips are already big enough — painting them red without the support of black eyeliner and a shimmering highlighter surprisingly seemed like overkill.

By day two, I had found ways to "cheat" by hiding behind things such as my hair and sunglasses, rushing past strangers in public, and not talking too much at work. Basically, I wanted to divert attention at all costs.

However, no one — not even my boyfriend — addressed the fact that I looked any different. No one called me silly (even though I said it numerous times to myself in frustration). No one cared, except me. Me wearing red lipstick didn't have any effect on anyone else. It was a shock, because I hoped for the sake of this article I'd have more to write about. I assumed that I'd be picked on for looking ridiculous, but this wasn't the case.

In fact, the only comments I received were compliments. At least four women stopped me in the street to ask where they could purchase my red lipstick. One person even flagged me down while I was at the beach for the same reason.

It may sound cliché, but the whole ordeal proved that true confidence comes from within. Although I write about beauty and body positivity for a living, and believe that everyone should have the choice to wear and do whatever they want, the red lipstick challenge didn't make me feel empowered. Instead, wearing just red lipstick without any other makeup made me feel self-conscious.

Struggling to figure out why, I ultimately realized that I am my best, most fierce self when I wear makeup and this is perfectly fine. With time, my outlook could change and that's fine too.

Prior to my experiment, I had gotten so caught up in craving validation from others for my outward appearance. I forgot that no one else's opinions matter. As long as I'm happy, with or without red lipstick, I'm more powerful than ever.